Q. When I'm stressed, I keep binge eating. How can I improve this?

1. **Recognizing Stress** – Stress blocks Liver Qi, disrupting Qi and blood circulation and affecting appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Simply realizing 'I'm eating because of stress right now' can be the first step to breaking the binge cycle. I empathize—I've spent many nights wandering in front of the fridge after late work. 2. **Dietary Adjustment – Protecting the Spleen and Stomach (脾胃)** – Rapid blood sugar changes trigger bingeing. Maintain regular meal times (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and eat protein and fiber first instead of flour-based or sweet foods. In Korean medicine, a weak Spleen and Stomach impairs food regulation. If you have Spleen Deficiency (脾虛), warm porridge or steamed vegetables that are easy to digest are helpful. 3. **Tailored Approach Based on Constitution (體質)** – Even with the same stress, binge patterns differ by constitution. For example, Liver Stagnation (肝鬱) types crave salty and spicy foods, while Spleen Deficiency types tend to crave sweets. After some trial and error myself, observing your body's reactions and consulting a Korean medicine doctor to identify your constitution—such as Taeyangin or Soyangin from Sasang typology—is effective long-term. Since dietary and lifestyle recommendations vary by constitution, personalization is essential rather than blindly following generic advice. 4. **Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture to Alleviate Stress Response** – Herbal formulas combine Liver-soothing (疏肝) herbs or Spleen-tonifying (補脾) herbs according to constitution. Acupuncture stabilizes the autonomic nervous system and helps lower cortisol, the stress hormone. Treatment doesn't magically eliminate bingeing but gives you the leeway to self-regulate. The key is to make gradual changes without pressuring yourself to be perfect.